MEGHAN Markle was “used” by Netflix to promote The Gentleman, friends of the Duchess of Sussex have grumbled.
It emerges just days after The Sun exclusively revealed Guy Ritchie’s brutally blunt three-word response to speculation Meghan was joining the show.
Sources close to the Duchess have pointed the finger at Netflix for apparently leaking her involvement in the gangster drama to boost publicity, reports The Telegraph.
One said: “Some people in her camp feel she was used to help promote season two, because they knew it wasn’t as good as the first season and had already commissioned a third.
“It’s the oldest marketing trick in the book: get a big name to read a script, then leak that you’re ‘in conversation’ with them when, in reality, nothing is particularly far along.”
They added: “The whole thing left a bit of a sour taste in the Sussex camp’s mouth.
“Needless to say, Netflix got what it wanted: huge viewing figures for season two and a lot of publicity.”
But our show insider claimed that when the Duchess’s name came up, Guy’s first reaction was a simple: “Really?”
But when he was asked whether there was any realistic prospect of her getting a part, our source claimed his answer was far more decisive: “Not a chance.”
The first series of The Gentlemen was a major success for Netflix and streamed more than 75 million times, while its second run attracted 22 million streams in its first three weeks of release.
Meghan has not taken a scripted role since leaving Suits in 2017.
In 2022, she said she had no intention of going back to acting, telling Variety magazine: “I’m done. I guess never say never, but my intention is to absolutely not.”
After we revealed in a world exclusive that the Sussexes were making a shock move back to the UK after six years away, months of speculation of Meghan’s return to acting followed.
The Sun exclusively revealed that the Duchess was in advanced talks for a role in Guy Ritchie’s drama to play “the ultimate temptress”.
A source said she would be getting “at least £1million” for the part, “perhaps even more”.
But Royal author Tina Brown then claimed the potential deal had collapsed, posting on X: “I learned this morning the casting of Meghan in The Gentlemen has been withdrawn.
“The backlash in the UK was so intense, it became untenable. This does not bode well for Meghan’s acting comeback in the UK.”
Then an insider said that discussions were in fact continuing, with Netflix bosses keen to land the comeback even though nothing formal has been signed.
Last month, Vinnie Jones, who plays groundskeeper Geoff Seacombe in the hit series, told The Sun he thinks the idea of Meghan’s casting could be “horrifically bad”.
He said: “I think that’s dead and buried. We can honestly say now that it ain’t happening, and you’d be a bit of a kn*b to think the idea was still alive.”
This week, we revealed thirty years on from his role as Begbie in Trainspotting, Robert Carlyle has secretly signed up for the third season of The Gentlemen – but Meghan will not be joining.
A source said: “The Gentlemen is going from strength to strength and everyone is desperate to make it work. Robert is an industry icon and Theo himself made it clear he wanted him to be part of the show.
“Meghan though is now out of contention. There was a meeting but it’s been decided she won’t be part of the cast.”
The Sun has approached Netflix for comment.